The Job
by Mizayo
Summary: The Pearly Gates are closed and it seems Ethriel is the only cupid wondering why there are still jobs being sent out. And when a particularly strange job is sent her way, her match-making skills are put to the test in what could possibly be the most difficult job ever assigned. - Slight AU: S9 Human Cas lives with Sam and Dean and is a hunter-in-training -
1. Part 1

_Warning: This story is pretty much the product of me being bored and not wanting to work on anything else. There's not much in the way of an outline and the plot isn't super heavy or gut-wrenching, so if you're looking for something that blows your mind, you've come to the wrong place. The characters might be a tiny bit OOC as well, as I'm not trying so hard this time around. Basically, this is pretty much just some fluff-n-guff, ready for a quick read. So if that what you were looking for, or you just don't care all that much, then, well... enjoy!_

Chapter Rating: K+

* * *

**1. Just Doin' Ma Job**

* * *

Being a cupid wasn't always this difficult. Ethriel could remember a time where the jobs were nice and orderly, coming once a day and in situations that didn't require her to get beat up or shouted at. But it seemed almost commonplace anymore. Any cupid who dared showed their face were bound to be sought after and punished for simply being an angel. And even when they kept their guard up and hid while trying to simply do their job, there was always someone waiting right there, ready to take them down by any means necessary.

It was almost as if the once great hunters _wanted _all love to disappear.

Of course, Ethriel couldn't really blame the poor humans for keeping themselves on their toes - Father knows they had had it rough lately - but how was an angel supposed to do their job under these conditions?

Oh, and the humans weren't the only ones giving the poor lower classes a hard time, but the other angels were too. Why should cupids, the lowest of them all, still be able to keep their wings? No one knew. But the angels were scared and angry, and they were all looking for ways to get their frustrations out. And if a silly cupid, still fluttering about with their beautiful wings and glowing smiles just happened to be around at the time? Well, they'll get what's coming to them.

Actually, Ethriel had her ideas. Of course angels weren't supposed to have their own thoughts, especially cupids, but she couldn't help herself. Why _had _all the cupids kept their wings? To her, it was quite simple - they had never actually fallen. Cupids were already physically on the Earth, and they didn't get the poor feathers torn up in the descent. She didn't really understand why no one else got that. Or, at least, why no one addressed it.

No, what confused her was where her orders were still coming from.

All of the angels had fallen - there was no one left in Heaven. So why were there still jobs being imprinted within her? To be honest, the process of her assignments had never really interested her. But now that she thought about it, it was strange how she suddenly got the order in her head that she needed to set a couple up. She never heard voices, never had any contact with anyone. She had simply thought that it was a simpler way for them to give her orders, but now that there was no one there, who was doing the imprinting? Did the assignments actually come from herself?

No, that was just crazy. Maybe there was a list of them, and she was still running through them and going down it. In fact, for almost three years now, the amount of jobs had come rapidly and without order. Maybe they had come so fast that not all of the cupids could fulfill them, and they were still trying to finish the list. When Michael fell into the pit, there was no more pattern. Everything was just a wash of demands and no one was trying to meet them.

Except for the cupids.

They were a very devoted little bunch, and they knew it. And so they worked and worked on that list, going down it and slowly the names disappeared over time. Not many questioned their origins, but like I said, Ethriel was different.

She remembered her time in Heaven, and how peaceful it had been. She remembered when she had been told to return to the Earth as a messenger of love. She remembered not knowing the first things about humans and how they went about their short lives. But she loved them, with her whole being. Maybe that was why God had chosen for her to become a messenger. But if that were the case, why had she been granted with individuality? Cupids worked in numbers, and they were all connected. Except for her.

Of course she heard them, and she knew who was doing what so she would go her own way and work on other jobs, but why was she given the ability for such thought?

As she strode into the laundromat, she thought about just that. Why did she think? Why did she have the ability to stop what she was doing and listen to her own thoughts? Why was she who she was? Was she special for a reason? Sighing, she sat down on one of the benches within the small public washroom and drowned in these thoughts.

It had been at least ten minutes before she grew overwhelmed by her train of thought and stopped. It was a disease, really, to have one's mind always scrambling for a new topic, always unsure of itself. She wondered if perhaps it was a curse, rather than a gift. She looked around the laundromat, twirling her fingers around her vessel's long braid.

There was another topic of interest, she thought excitedly. She picked up the long rope of red hair again, bringing it closer to her face this time to examine it in more depth. Her vessel was a fairly kind young woman, she remembered. She had the largest eyes Ethriel had ever seen on a human, huge and with such a dark brown they looked black. She had worn very heavy makeup around those eyes, seeming to favor them as her best feature. Ethriel agreed. She also had a dainty button-like nose and small, pink lips. Her skin was tanner than some, but very smooth and delicate. Her long, flat hair had been done up into a side braid that hugged her features before running over her shoulder and dangling elegantly below her small breasts. The deep red of the hair color was something Ethriel had never seen on a human before. It reminded her of the color of blood, yet at the same time it was very beautiful.

Ethriel remembered the night she had asked for her permission. She had talked to the human girl previously - in fact the had known her for years before approaching her, and even then she did so in between large bouts of time. It almost came to the point where the girl's family and friends simply dismissed it as an imaginary friend that had stuck around for too long. But the girl knew, and Ethriel still came.

_It was late the night before, and Ethriel had waited for her young vessel to leave the event she had come to know as a 'fundraiser'. Ethriel remembered the girl telling her that she was raising money for a charity through hosting a party around a game called 'bowling'. Ethriel had never heard such a thing, but she stayed to observe. It was good that her vessel was actively pursuing charity. _

_When the event had ended, the girl asked Ethriel if she could have one more night. Of course Ethriel was sure that her waiting for too long now would result in some sort of punishment, but at that point she hadn't much cared. She was new to the job of a cupid - in fact hadn't even begun - and it seemed less important than making sure her vessel was ready to come with her before finally taking over. She knew that the girl would be ready to accept her grace should she ask for it, but Ethriel didn't. She simply waited._

_The next night, the girl had gone out again, but this time with one person - a young man. He was uninteresting enough, with light brown hair and thin glasses, but her vessel looked so pleased to be with him. Ethriel learned that night what it was for two humans to 'date', and it reaffirmed her belief that God had chosen correctly in giving her this assignment. It made her proud to be a cupid._

_When the date ended, he took her home and gave her a peck on the cheek before leaving. She was beaming, and Ethriel felt a pang of guilt for needing to take this life away from her. She felt torn, and was thinking of returning to Heaven before her vessel turned straight towards her. Ethriel was surprised when her vessel still displayed the desire to be with her. She lead Ethriel upstairs toward her bedroom. "Do you want me to change?" she asked, looking down at her dress._

_Ethriel took in the sight before her. Her vessel was dressed in a long gown that ran from under her shoulders to past her ankles. The top was a dark black, but it gradually faded into a glowing white around her feet. She wore beautiful white earrings that barely hung beside her jawline. She wore her dark eye makeup with her usual braid, and she looked absolutely gorgeous. "I would not ask you to change your beauty," she breathed, grinning at her vessel._

_The young girl smiled brightly at her then, nodding excitedly. Ethriel would never forget her last words to her. "Then… Yes, Ethriel."_

Ethriel was snapped out of her memories when a stout man in overalls and big glasses came walking into the laundromat, his arms full of clothes and dirt smothered across his face. This was a working man. As he walked farther in and placed his stuff down next to one of the machines, she smiled softly. _One down_, she thought to herself.

A few minutes lolled on by when the door ringed again and a woman walked in. She was taller than the man, but she held tired eyes and her hair was frayed in multiple ways. She looked like she had a very rough day. She held but maybe two or three pieces of clothes. _And the other_, thought Ethriel.

She watched as the woman threw her things into a machine and stuck a few quarters in the slot. She looked up at the man as if to ask if it was okay to sit there, but he barely noticed she was there. Exasperated, she threw herself down anyway with a loud grunt. The bench shook under the weight and the man looked up in surprise. "Sorry," she grumbled, not looking at him, and not looking sorry at all.

_Well that just won't do_, thought Ethriel slyly. She got up from her own bench across the room and walked around the line of machines towards them. She never was the smoothest of angels, but she knew how to get things done. And so, with a look of surprise and a well-placed left foot, she flung herself towards the man and screeched like she knew young women did.

In an instant the man stood up and caught her, but it was too much weight for the stout man apparently, and they both came toppling back towards the bench. She grasped at him and the bench, flinging herself toward the metal seat with frustration. She hadn't meant to create such a scene. As she floundered in his grasp, she accidentally grabbed onto the woman beside him, who was now trying to ease her way out of the bench in shock. Ethriel dragged them both unceremoniously together as she finally toppled to the ground with a huff.

Her hair flayed everywhere and her knee in a bad place ever since it hit the tiled floor, she stood up with a grunt and a furrowed brow. That was _not _the way that was supposed to have gone! She spared a glance at the man, who was now trying to sit up straight on the bench, and mumbled a "Sorry," before walking back towards her own bench.

She glanced back to see the two looking at each other in shock before breaking out in quiet hysterics. They were most likely trying to hide their laughter for her sake, but she didn't care. Smoothly or not so much, she had done her job at least.

Sighing, she reached her bench and slowly reached down to collect her bag. It wasn't really hers, per se, but it was her vessel's and she carried it around to blend in more (though she didn't seem to understand that a fancy gown and jewelry didn't really fit in on the streets anyway). As she reached down, however, she noticed something in a trash bin beside the machines. It looked larger than the normal things she usually found in disposal units.

Curiosity got the best of her and she left her bag on the bench to go examine it. She poked her head in further to see what exactly it was, and it looked like a large coat. Stumped, she reached in and pulled the piece of clothing out.

It was a trenchcoat, tan in color, with a large flap that draped across the shoulders and a belt that sagged down the back as if it had never been used. What was even more curious was the blood splattered across the neck. Looking back in the bin, Ethriel noticed there was a whole suit inside. She wondered who would discard their entire outfit like that.

Frowning, she studied the trenchcoat again. It looked so familiar, but she couldn't seem to place where she had seen it before. She felt a strange urge to keep it. Throwing it into the machine, she put a few quarters from her vessel's bag in the slot and waited for it to clean the clothing. After a while's wait of cleaning and drying the coat, she threw it over her shoulders and went to look at herself in front of a mirror conveniently placed on the wall.

She stood in front of the reflective surface for what felt like hours, taking in the appearance of her dress and hair along with her newly acquired coat. It seemed so out of place, as if there was something that was supposed to be with the coat but was no longer near. Then, slowly, she started to remember.

It was Castiel's.

She had fought under Castiel many years ago, before she had been reimagined as a cupid. She fought alongside him and many other angels in countless wars. Even after she was reimagined, she often visited him. They were more than comrades, some could say. Friends. She had even visited him after Lucifer and Michael were trapped within the Cage. He had been very different then, but still the same Castiel under it all. But every time she had seen him in his vessel, he was wearing this trenchcoat. It was a symbol of his rebellion. She had heard of the stories that he had fallen and died many times, but she never believed it. But the Winchesters were legendary, and everyone spoke of Castiel, guardian angel of the Winchester brothers.

She just never would have thought…

Was he the reason the angels fell?

She knew that the Winchesters had been involved somehow - they always were. And if he had been involved, that would explain why all the talk among the angels were that of capturing Castiel. She tended to not listen to the 'angel radio' very often, as it was generally unpleasant and boring, but…

She tuned in. Instantly, she felt at least a hundred different groups of angels conspiring against each other, talking about taking Castiel down, and capturing Metatron. Metatron, the Scribe of God? Was he to blame? Immediately, she turned the 'radio' off. No. She had never met Metatron, didn't know him, but Castiel? He was a good leader. A good angel.

A good friend.

Lost in her confusing train of thought once again, Ethriel groaned in exasperation and walked out of the laundromat, the trenchcoat still wrapped around her, and flew out into the night.


	2. Part 2

Chapter Rating: T (language)

* * *

**2. You Never Come to Just Visit**

* * *

A little over a month passes by without Ethriel noticing. She goes about her jobs, matching people and doing a damn good job at it, like always. She is proud of her current efficiency and is tackling at least two or three matches a day, unlike most cupids who only do one. Every match she makes, she feels more powerful and more in tune with her jobs than she ever had before.

She starts to think that there may have been some sort of spell cast on the trenchcoat, as she had heard that Castiel got resurrected at least three times while wearing it, and in between had a strangely large amount of luck. She thinks, briefly, that her wearing it might be what's bringing about her productivity. But of course that's as silly a thought as Castiel closing the gates of Heaven.

She does still wear it, though, going about her daily routines. She's finding much more comfort in it than she thought she would. If nothing else, it provides a strange weight around herself that she hadn't felt since she was celestiel. Which doesn't make much sense now that she thought about it, but being a huge ball of light was strangely heavy.

Generally speaking, besides the crazy amount of matchmaking she's been doing lately, life had gone back to normal, which it hadn't been like in a very long time. She had encountered very few hunters lately, and neither had any of her cupid friends, which was always a relief. She even hadn't heard from any other upper-class angels in a while. Everything was quiet, as it should be, and other beings were letting her do her job, which they hadn't in a very long time. It was nice.

That is, until a very strange job came wiggling into the front of her brain.

At first she thought it was a mistake. Maybe she was going crazy and the jobs were just figments of her imagination. But then she realized that it couldn't have been a mistake - none of her others had been mistakes in the past, and it felt just like every other order in the past fifty-two years. But it couldn't possibly be, could it?

An angel and a human?

Was it even possible? Ethriel knew that the offspring of such a union was forbidden, in which case shouldn't the coupling be forbidden as well? Nephilim were abominations, or so she had been told. Of course there was a very small chance of angel/human conception anyway, but she supposed even if they could, she knew two males could not conceive a child. But still, the idea remains: angel and human unions were against any codes she had ever read. But her orders were very clear.

She must bring together Dean Winchester and Castiel.

Ethriel would very much prefer to not be a cupid right now. Or at least have the option to 'pass'.

Twirling the end of the trenchcoat's belt between her fingers, Ethriel contemplated putting this job off for a while. Maybe wait until whatever the Winchesters were probably doing was over. Maybe they were trying to seal up the gates of Hell again, like she had heard they were doing a couple months ago. Maybe they were trying to wipe out all of the fallen angels. Maybe they were in hiding - she didn't know. But from what she had heard before, she did not want to tangle with them.

But the more she thought about it, the more she realized that this job was most likely very important. Castiel, she knew, was a very devoted angel who loved with his whole heart and would do anything to protect what he believed in. He more than deserved to find romantic love. And from what she had heard about Dean Winchester, he needed at least _some _sort of happiness right now, if not love.

But then that brought up the problem of what this job would actually entail. On one hand, yes, they both deserved each other in what seemed to be a never-ending dark time. But then, if these two didn't want to be together, she knew they would stop at nothing to stay apart. Leave it to the angel who defied God and the man who defied Destiny to be… stubborn.

Sighing, Ethriel knew she had no choice. She could not move on if she didn't finish this job. If the angel and human decided to be stubborn, well… she'll just have to be more so.

And so off she flew, searching crazily to find that she… couldn't find them. Groaning in disbelief, she realized that they all probably have angel warding on them. So she flew to the last place she knew they were - Lebanon, Kansas.

Apparently they had some sort of base there. She had heard that it was warded against anything, but she was sure that the Men of Numbers, or whatever they were called, weren't aware that angels existed at that point because no angels were on Earth at that point. Well, besides Gabriel and Metatron. And all the cupids. But no human knew of them, so she was sure she would be fine. They might even let her walk in if she was just able to find it…

Surprisingly, it didn't take that long to find it. After searching the outskirts of the town and asking the residents there, she had been given the locations of a couple abandoned buildings and mysterious entrances that hadn't been explored in a while. From that point, she searched all the places she had been given and eventually ended up at an entrance to what looked to be an underground shelter of some sort. She walked down the cement steps into what seemed to be a very old, very forgotton metal door.

Taking in a deep breath, steeling herself, and letting it go with a new resolve, she reached up and wrapped her knuckles on the thick metal, and waited.

Nothing happened.

She knocked again, this time a bit harder. Her hand was starting to throb. She understood the mechanics of having a metal door, but... _If you're going to have a door that hurts to knock on, maybe you should install a doorbell alongside it_, she thought glumly.

But then she heard the clunky sound of metal on the other side of the door and a long pause stood in the air as she was sure she was being examined somehow. Then, slowly, the metal door creaked open and it was all she could do not to run screaming and abort the mission. Already she was intimidated by the Winchesters and she had never even seen their faces.

The man was young. Younger than she had thought the Winchesters to be. Short, with wispy black hair and dark eyes. And… Asian. She was sure that the Winchesters were caucasian. Never the rude one, however, she smiled brightly at him and leaned in to give him a huge hug. He seemed extremely caught off guard and didn't return it, but Ethriel didn't mind. Humans generally didn't reciprocate the hug. "Um…" he mumbled, gently placing a hand on her back before pushing her away. "Do I know you? How did you find this place?"

Stepping a respectable distance away, she smiled warmly at him. "No, you do not know me. And I found this place through the residents of this town. I can…" she trailed off, searching his mind. "You are not Dean Winchester, are you?"

The young man laughed, then, shaking his head. "No. My name's Kevin. Dean's inside, if you wanna talk. I'm guessing you're alright since you're able to walk in." He stepped to the side and allowed Ethriel to walk inside. _So far so good_, she thought. "_Dean_!" the young man almost screeched, making Ethriel jump significantly. He only laughed at her jumpiness and practically ran down the stairs.

She descended down the stairs far more elegantly than Kevin had, her nerves almost physically holding her back from hurrying. When she got to the bottom and walked towards where the young man had gone, another man was quickly stepping towards the same area, presumably after Kevin's screeching. "What?! You alright?" he asked hurriedly, almost angrily.

"Yep," said Kevin simply, now back at the desk, staring at paper and a rock.

The other man looked much more angry, his brows furrowed and his jaw set tightly as if he was frustrated with Kevin. Which was reasonable, if Ethriel was right in thinking he had come quickly due to worrying. He was taller than Kevin, with tanner skin and dirty blond, short hair. His light green eyes danced around Kevin before lowering once he had assessed that there wasn't a situation to handle. This man looked far more likely to be Dean Winchester than the previous one.

It was then that Dean's eyes turned toward her, and those same green eyes blew open quickly. "Who are - " Ethriel decided this was the opportune moment to latch onto his waist, burying her face in his chest. He was far taller than herself, at least six inches, and she took advantage of the height difference. Smiling, she let go and looked up into those pretty eyes. " - you?" he finished lamely.

He looked confused as well as on guard, so Ethriel decided to be as sweet and unassuming as she possibly could. "Ethriel," she said simply.

His eyebrows rose significantly. "An angel?" he questioned suspiciously.

She grinned, bowing her head humbly. "Yes."

"And Kevin just _let _you in?!" he said through tight lips, turning his glare towards the prophet in the library. Kevin was caught staring at them in that moment and his and Dean's eyes met. Kevin then grinned innocently and shrugged. "How many times do I have to tell you, kid? _Don't just let people in the Batcave_!"

Ethriel's eyebrows furrowed. "The Batcave? Are you Batman, then?"

Dean's eyes lit up and his lips twitched, turning back to the small cupid in front of him. "Heh, you got that reference, huh? At least you're a cool angel." He motioned for her to sit at a table that looked like it was a map of the world. Upon closer inspection, she was surprised to see that it actually was. When they both were sitting next to each other, Dean spun his chair to turn towards her. "So what're you doing here?"

Once again her nerves kicked in. The charm that Dean wielded ebbed away. To make sure, she muttered, "You are Dean Winchester, correct?"

"Who's asking?"

Confusion clouded her face once again. "Ethriel," she said slowly, as if he might not understand still.

He sighed. "Yeah, I'm Dean. What's it to ya?" He looked as if he was starting to grow impatient, however Ethriel was still unwilling to tell him why it was she was there. She was still nervous of getting immediately kicked out.

She was sure she would feel far more comfortable telling Castiel. "I wish to speak to the angel Castiel. He is here, is he not?"

That got Dean more alert, if that was even possible. He became more angry and suspicious of her, and tensed as if he was ready to fight her the moment she moved. "Why do you need to know? Why are you here? Answer me, dammit!"

She shrunk. "Please do not damn me, I fear I am in enough trouble as it is…"

With that, he lightened up a bit and his eyes softened, though he did not take his questions back. He stood up suddenly, frustrated with her answers, and started pacing. He didn't know how to make her answer his questions, and he felt like maybe torture wasn't the best course of action right now. He really didn't want to get into it right now with the angels, after everything was starting to go back to normal, at least for a while. He just wanted to head out and get some actual cases done.

It was then that the only man she actually knew walked in. His hair shorter, his coat was gone - as well as his tie - and he looked far more disheveled and unruly than the last time they had met. His eyes, however, were the same endless blue that she remembered. Except, somehow, they seemed… powerless. Emptier than before. Wearily, he blinked with those eyes slowly, resting them on hers. Then they widened significantly. "Ethriel?"

She grinned, jumping up quickly and brushing past Dean to swoop her arms around Castiel. "Hello, old friend! It is good to see you again." She buried her face into the crook of his neck. He felt… smaller. Pulling back slowly, her brows knitted together. "Are you ill, Castiel? Has this Winchester brought you nothing but sickness?"

"What?" he said, almost as if he still didn't believe that she was there, let alone that she was accusing Dean of neglect. "No, no. I am simply human."

Her eyes grew wide and she let go of his waist, stepping back to look down at the floor, lost in thought. "It still makes no sense…"

Dean was stomping towards them, confused by this whole display. "What's going on here? You know her, Cas?" He glanced at her, though she still was lost in thought.

"I do. She was a soldier under me for many years." He paused. "That is, until she was reimagined." He looked at her now, a sort of sadness creeping into his gaze. It only served to confuse Dean more.

"What's 'reimagined' mean?"

Castiel looked towards Ethriel until she finally looked up at him again. Their eyes locked, and she nodded slightly in consent. Cas then turned towards Dean again. "She was taken from the garrison to become a new class of angel in the eyes of God. Much like I was."

Dean squinted his eyes. "So she's a seraph or whatever? I thought you were the last one, until, well… y'know."

Ethriel finally spoke up. "No, I was reimagined as a cherub." She turned her gaze to Cas. "You were a seraph?"

Cas didn't have time to answer as Dean spoke up, still a bit confused. "Wait. So you got demoted to the matchmaking service?"

Her eyebrows furrowed and her lips drew into a thin line. "It was not a demotion. God saw my love of humans and wished to grant me the ability to spread that love. It is not a curse, it is a gift. And you will respect it as such!" she squeaked with ferocity.

"Right." Dean held his hands up in surrender. "Sorry, sorry. Didn't mean to offend."

There was an awkward silence between the three of them. Suddenly, Kevin's voice was heard from far behind them, still sitting in the library but listening to every word they said. "Hey! Is that Cas's coat?"

All three of them looked down at Ethriel's trenchcoat, and she remembered with a dolt that Castiel would probably want it back. "Hey, yeah, that's Cas's…" Dean said defensively. Cas remained quiet.

Ethriel blushed. "I worked a job about a month ago and found this in the trash." She started pulling it off. "I cleaned it and remembered that it was yours, Castiel. I am sorry, I just wanted to keep it safe." She folded up the long coat and held it out for Cas to take.

He looked at it for a moment before grinning softly and pulling off his current one. He grabbed the one extended towards him and threw it over himself, sighing. "Thank you. I know it is a bit silly, but I have a sort of attachment to the clothing." He folded his new one over, thinking. "Would you like this one? It looks similar, and provides the familiar weight."

Grinning, she nodded, happy that she wasn't the only one who like the weight of the coat on her shoulders. She slung it over and pulled up the collar, smiling.

"So why are you here, Ethriel? You rarely see me only to visit," said Cas, breaking another silence.

She blushed slightly, her nerves returning once again. "I am here on a job, Castiel." She didn't say anything further.

Dean was the one who spoke up. "A job? You're a cupid, so you're here to match someone up, right? Well I hate to tell you, but there's no one here but the Winchester family."

That got Ethriel confused. "Only the Winchesters? That cannot be possible, as Castiel is here. And I'm assuming Kevin is not part of your family…"

"You don't have to be blood to be family, E. Kevin and Cas are definitely part of the family." It was that moment that Ethriel saw another man, much taller than the rest, walk lazily out with a piece of bacon in his hand. He seemed to be intrigued by the conversation, but didn't do anything to interrupt.

Ethriel tried to ignore him. "I see. However, I am not mistaken. I do indeed have a very important job here." She cleared her throat lightly and looked away from both of their eyes.

Dean was impatient. "Well? What is it? Who's getting lucky tonight?"

Another silence passes as Ethriel regrets her job once again. She feels like she will continue to regret this job for a very, very long time.

Cas finally speaks up again. "Ethriel, it is okay. Obviously this affects one or more of us substantially. Will you feel better if we promise to not get angry?"

She nodded shyly.

Another silence passes as Cas looks to them all. Kevin and Sam both give a nod in her direction, which she accepts gratefully. Cas then stares Dean down, who just grumpily holds his own. "If you want to know, you must promise. She is delicate, Dean. She would not hurt you or anyone you love. You can trust her." Finally Dean sighs and nods.

Ethriel closes her eyes again and takes a deep breath. "My orders are to match you, Dean..." she pauses to look up at Dean for a moment only to see the beginnings of wide eyes. "to Castiel."

The room falls silent.


	3. Part 3

Chapter Rating: K+

* * *

**3. Human Emotions are Stupid**

* * *

Now that the job was out in the open, Ethriel felt much better and relieved that there had yet to be a fist collide with her face. However, the silence in the room was deafening. Slowly, she looked up into Dean's eyes, as she was sure he would be the one most affected by this, but she only got a raised eyebrow and a slack jaw.

Curious, her eyebrow twitched upwards and she leaned forward to study his expression closer. He didn't seem to notice. "Dean? Are you alright?" she asked softly.

He nodded then, as if to say, 'yeah, of course I'm fine," but he didn't say anything else.

She looked towards Castiel, then, the beginnings of a smile on her face, ready to beam at her fellow angel when he thanked her. However he only looked extremely confused and concerned, his eyes attached to Dean's expression.

For a moment, Ethriel thought that these two didn't need her services and were at the point of true love already. However that small ball of hope was popped and deflated quickly at Dean's new expression.

"Are you freaking kidding me?"

Ethriel took a step back, offended. "I would not joke about matters of the heart, Dean."

"Yeah, well, you can go shove it. Cas and I aren't… No. We aren't like that," he grumbled, stomping back the way he had originally entered, down a hall.

Ethriel let out a sigh and slumped, looking much smaller and even a little defeated. Of course she knew this was going to be a tough job, but that small spark of hope that they would be reasonable had died out with that insult. There was no way she was going to be able to go on with her job. If Dean defied Michael, eldest archangel and the Host of Heaven, then there was no way a small cupid like herself would be able to crack that shell. "Why does he run away from happiness?" she asked to Castiel, plopping down in a chair next to the mapped table.

When he didn't reply, she looked back up to him and was surprised to see him look… very sad. She slumped in her chair then, realizing slowly just how bad this situation was. She wasn't sure she hadn't caused any permanent damage with just that one sentence, and now she knew she couldn't fix it.

Her heart beat faster as Castiel sat next to her, and she thought that maybe at least she had one of the two who wouldn't run away from this. But as he sat down, the taller one that had been standing on the opposite side of the room - who she only could assume as Sam Winchester - started laughing.

She whipped her head around to glare at him only to realize that his laughter wasn't demeaning, but happy. Confused, she pursed her lips and tilted her head to the side. "Why are you laughing?"

Sam took a moment to find his breath and wipe a small wetness of his eyes away before answering. "Because I can't believe that the two of them actually took _so long_ that Heaven decided to pull some strings." And that was all he was going to say, apparently, as he continued walking away from her and into the library with Kevin, who was also chuckling softly.

Slowly she turned to Castiel, pouting quietly and hoping he would see the same - although somewhat strange - point that Sam did. Apparently their relationship was that of very close to begin with, maybe even love, but Dean, if not Castiel as well, refused to see it. She was glad that at least she had one other on her side, maybe even someone who would be willing to help convince them that this was right.

She raised her hand and gently set in on Castiel's shoulder. He looked up at her then, his signature puppydog eyes wide and swallowing her whole. "Castiel. I am sorry I have cause such distress. I did not mean…"

"No," he said, startling her. It was the first thing he had spoken since she told him her orders. "I know how this works, Ethriel. You cannot move onto another job until this one is finished. I wish this wasn't such a problem. Dean is… I…" He seemed to struggle with the words. "Dean and I share a profound bond. I was the angel to raise him from perdition. He helped me to see the glory of free will. I fell from Heaven for him - twice. I lead armies in his name, broke the Word of God, and even defied destiny." He paused, looking around the bunker, then finally meeting her gaze. "You can imagine, our relationship is… complicated."

Her eyes wide, she searched his face for emotion, for his thoughts. "I… had not realized. I knew of the Winchesters' fame, and your involvement, but I apologize, I had no idea you were so involved in Heaven's recent affairs." She stopped, trying to make sure that she didn't sound so accusatory. "Castiel, you were the one who helped to throw Michael into the Cage? You lead the armies against Raphael? You were…" She swallowed. "You were God?"

"No!" he shouted instantly at that word, flinching from it almost in pain. "No. I was stupid, and ambitious, and selfish. I believed that I could change Heaven, I thought I could help…"

She sighed, clicking her tongue. "No, don't apologize for that. It is over and done, far in the past. You seem to be better now, and… human?"

He closed his eyes. "Yes. Metatron approached me, said that we could close the gates of Heaven to try and stop all the fighting. I was stupid. I went along with it, and in the end, he stole my grace and threw me and all the angels to Earth."

"I'm sorry. But you are human only now, this has not been so for a long time?"

His face scrunched and looked at her in confusion. "No, I've only been like this for a couple months. Why?"

She shook her head, angry again. "No one is in Heaven. So no one is giving me orders. But I keep getting names, and I thought that they were just a list that had built up and I was finally getting to them. But if you becoming human was what make the Gates close, I have no idea how this order could have come to be. Angels and humans cannot be together. It is forbidden."

Cas shook his head. "Actually, it isn't."

"What do you mean?"

"A child born of a human and an angel is forbidden, yes, but only if it was not planned. It's rare, but angels can fall in love with humans - hence the term 'fall in love'. The only problem that many seem to ignore is that you must have permission from God to pursue the relationship." He stopped, his face contorting in thought. "Though an order to a cupid is still very strange. Do you know where they come from?"

"No. They used to be regulated by Michael, and I thought they originated there, but since he's gone they've still been coming - in vast waves as well. I do not know who creates them." Her eyes widened. "Are you suggesting that God does?"

Cas nodded slowly. "I believe that is the only explanation. Unless for some reason Metatron wants Dean and I together." He laughed dryly at that.

With that, Ethriel is reminded of their situation. "I am sorry Castiel. I can leave, if that is what you wish. I will not push for something when I know I cannot win."

Castiel seemed to think it over for a very long time. "This is definitely a difficult situation." He paused again. "Like I said, Dean and I share a profound bond. I am willing to think of it as love, however I have not previously experienced much…" he cleared his throat awkwardly "...desire to have more human equivalents of the term. Now that I _am _human, however, I've felt more… inclined towards such thoughts, but I…" His cheeks were bright pink now and Ethriel would have felt sorry for him if it weren't so cute. He lowered his voice marginally so the other two in the library couldn't hear. She doubted they were listening anyway, but she humored him and leaned in closer. "Though I haven't previously thought about it, I am not opposed to experiencing… those feelings… with Dean. If God wishes it."

Grinning broadly, Ethriel nodded and stood up, starting to jump excitedly. Before she could cause the library occupants to turn their heads though, Castiel grabbed her arm and stopped her from becoming too rambunctious.

Standing up, he looked down at her and sighed. "However I believe that for the time being, you should leave." Her grin faded and she looked up at him with confusion. "Come back tomorrow evening. I will talk to Dean in the meantime, see what exactly his feelings are on this without anyone listening in. He's usually much more open when it's only us." That got a huge grin from her. He shook his head. "If he's not… stabilized?... by the time you come back, maybe you can stay in the bunker with us and get to know him better. He usually cooperates more if he trusts the person."

She nods then, a new hope filling her. She leans up and gives a soft peck to the top of Castiel's head and waves to the men in the library before walking back up the stairs and through the metal door.


	4. Part 4

_A/N - Thanks so much for the favorites and follows, guys! I'm glad someone's liking this shamble of a story, haha. It would be absolutely freaking awesome of y'all dropped a review, though. Really would totally make my day! Just sayin'. Haha, anyways, I hope you enjoy this chapter! It kind of spiraled a bit near the end - I hadn't planned on any of it, but I think I recovered it okay. Let me know what you think._

Chapter Rating: T (language, and one very, _very_ mild suggestion)

* * *

**4. In Which Dean Can't Decide to Sit or Stand**

* * *

Castiel couldn't decide how he felt about this situation.

On one hand, Ethriel was a friend and on a mission from God, from which she wouldn't be able to move on without completing it. Of course he wanted to help her, but that involved a lot more change in his life than he was willing to give at the moment. On the other hand, he _had _been feeling more inclined toward many human emotions and desires lately. He found himself craving food and drink, needing to attend to his personal hygiene, and sleeping and sometimes even dreaming. Before he had even turned human, however, he had been experiencing what he thought might be human emotion, but he had disregarded them and continued with his duties. However now that his duties had changed and he no longer held his angelic ability to somewhat reign in those emotions, he found himself experiencing them far more strongly and undeniably.

And on a completely confounding yet unignorable hand, he knew he wouldn't mind exploring those emotions more, if they were with Dean.

If he thought about exploring them with anyone else, Castiel found himself oddly… sick. Not as if he would vomit, mind, but more like there was a hand clamping around his stomach. Or his heart. As if the only way to alleviate the pressure was to unthink those thoughts, but he knew that was unreasonable. Why did it matter who he was to… spend time with? If he had learned anything from Dean in their time together, it was that human… couplings… weren't as important to most people. Or perhaps that mindset only applied to Dean.

That thought also made his heart ache.

It was strange, having all of these human emotions finally making some sort of sense to him. For the longest time, he thought they were simply random things that his now human body needed to experience, but now that he had a name to give the thoughts and feelings, he was far more comfortable with them. Not with what he was supposed to _do _with them, but the actual feelings themselves. No, acting on them was something that he was not ready for yet, and therein lied the problem.

Castiel waited a few hours after Ethriel left to go talk to Dean. He had an idea on where the hotheaded human might be, and so he immediately took the route towards the shooting range. As he drew nearer, he heard the unmistakable sound of gunfire, and he felt for a small moment proud of himself for knowing his friend so well. That feeling instantly went away when he saw the look on that same friend's face.

Dean was angry, there was no doubt about that. But there was also a softness around his features - a vulnerability that hinted at a greater turmoil. Castiel knew that the only reason he was even allowed to see that expression was because the hunter didn't know anyone else was in the room.

Stepping more into the room, Castiel took care not to startle the angry man with a gun. After a few rounds, the room quieted enough that he knew be able to be heard. "Dean?"

The hunter jumped, not expecting any company so soon. When he turned to see who it was that had interrupted his session, a new color flashed onto his features. Castiel wasn't sure if it was surprise, anger, or… something else.

When Dean didn't respond, Castiel took a few more steps toward him and extended a hand, but didn't touch. "Ethriel's gone," he said simply, not knowing what else _to _say.

Dean scoffed. "Yeah, I figured you'd kick her out after what she said. Just who does that bitch think she is?" he growled, his fingers tightening around the weapon in his hands.

A surge of protectiveness shot through Castiel at the words. "She is a very old friend, Dean. Whatever she has been tasked in regards to you, please do not hold it against her. She is simply a messenger, nothing more. But she is a very good friend and I would like you to treat her as such, for my sake." There was a small pleading in his voice that Castiel hadn't planned, but it held in the air for longer than he would have thought so. He didn't know why, but it was extremely important that Dean not hate Ethriel.

Dean looked just as surprised by Castiel's plead that the anger washed out of his face and his muscles seemed to loosen somewhat. He sat the gun down on the small half-wall and turned toward the ex-angel. "Yeah, I know. Sorry Cas." He paused, bringing his hand up to the back of his neck. "It's just… weird."

Castiel let out a small huff of humorless laughter. "I am aware of the strangeness of our predicament." There was a long pause in which neither man knew what exactly to say. Castiel sat down on a bench near Dean, silently motioning with his eyes for Dean to sit next to him. The hunter didn't move. Castiel took in a long breath before confessing his thoughts. "I am unsure how to proceed. While the situation is indeed incredibly… weird… I am positive that it cannot simply be ignored." He paused to gage Dean's reaction, but he got nothing. "I am sure that you are aware that this is larger than you or I - "

"How? I mean the 'situation' is basically just a huge thing to try and get us to fuck, right? How can that not be about us?!" Dean's questions neared hysterics.

Castiel flinched at the harsh words. "Ethriel, while being an angel, is still a cherub and therefore weaker than most. It is not up to her to decide who she is sent to match. While believing full heartedly in this job," he said awkwardly, clearing his throat almost inaudibly. "she is confused on where the orders come from. I tend to agree."

Dean looked utterly lost. His brow furrowing, he finally plopped next to Castiel on the bench and leaned his elbows on his knees, thinking. "Wait. So you're saying she doesn't even know who her boss is?"

Castiel nodded. "She has noted that before Michael was forced into the Cage, orders were sent to her at regular intervals. After, however, they became erratic and unable to complete at the rate they were being sent. When the Gates closed, the orders stopped. And so, for months, the cherubs have been scrambling to try and go down what Ethriel believes is a list of couples."

"So there was some sort of build-up and now the cupids are trying to clean up the mess?"

"Yes. However, when she came to us she was dumbfounded."

It was then that Dean finally looked up at Castiel, his green eyes burning into Castiel's blue. "Yeah, so what? She's just freaked out her old buddy finally got a date or something? Or was she into you or what?"

Castiel pulled a face, scrunching his nose. "I don't believe so. Dean, do you realize that angel and human relationships are, for the most part, forbidden?"

"Uh… no. I didn't 'realize' that. Why's that important?"

The ex-angel sighed, exasperated. "Ethriel has gone down her list far enough that she believes she is completing jobs that were assigned somewhere around two years ago. I was still an angel then."

"So what you're saying is that there's an angel up there that's trying to get us in trouble or something?"

"No, Dean." Castiel repressed the urge to roll his eyes - a very human expression. "Ethriel originally believed that her orders came from Michael, but she has since realized that can't be true. And the only other being that is in higher power than Michael is… God."

Dean was stunned into silence. He sighed then, and rolled his hips while swinging his legs out in an attempt to stretch backwards. Then his lips tightened and his eyes met Castiel's. "So the head honcho is who set us up? You're sayin' freaking _God _wants us together?"

"I'm saying it's the likeliest of all possibilities, by a very far shot."

"Long shot."

Castiel looked at Dean, confused. "What?"

Dean's lips quirked then, his old personality reasserting itself. "The phrase is 'by a long shot'. Nerd."

The ex-angel couldn't help but smile at that, leaning back into the bench like Dean had done. They sat in silence as once again Castiel was coming to grips with his new human emotions. He closed his eyes, then, trying to relax into the bench and the nearness of his best friend. For a few moments, he didn't miss his grace, or his brothers and sisters. He didn't miss his Father, either. He was content to simply sit with the man he knew he could love.

Dean was the first to move. An air of uneasiness had come back down on him, and Castiel could instantly feel it. He wondered what the man was thinking. Was it about the angels? Sam? Crowley? Or was it about their current situation? Surely the simple fact that a cherub was nearby didn't bother Dean that much. The fact that Ethriel had come to them first obviously meant that she wouldn't force them into anything, which Castiel was grateful for. But he wasn't sure Dean knew that.

"Dean," Castiel said softly, looking out of his now open eyes to the man fidgeting minutely beside him.

The hunter instantly looked towards him, as if he was surprised. "Yeah Cas?"

"Rest easy. You won't be forced into anything you do not want." When Dean looked at him, confused, Castiel sat up more and faced him again. "Surely you know that because Ethriel informed us of her job, rather than just completing it, she doesn't intend to force us into anything? She talked to me after you stormed out of the room." Dean was about to interrupt him and tell the ex-angel that he had not, in fact, _stormed _out of the room, but Castiel kept going. "She is willing to leave if you decide that you truly do not want it."

Another silence, but this one was far more tense than the last. "What do you mean if _I_ decide? This goes both ways, Cas. What did _you _tell her?"

Castiel's heart sped up instantly, and he felt a small heat creep up his neck and into his cheeks. Dean swallowed, but didn't say anything else. Castiel sighed heavily. "I simply told her about my experiences as a human so far and what I felt about them."

Dean's eyes threatened to widen, but Dean looked determined to get the truth before jumping to conclusions. "What do you mean your experiences? Cas, just tell me what you said to her."

He shifted uncomfortably, eyes looking down at the floor in front of him. "When she asked me how I felt about the prospect of being with you, I told her that… That I had recently been experiencing more human feelings and… desires, both mental and physical." He stopped, waiting for something, he wasn't sure what. "I told her that while I had not previously thought about it, I could- I didn't… I would not mind experiencing them with you."

Dean stood up then, breathing heavily. He ran his hand down his face and adjusted the collar of his jacket. He started to pace.

The tension in the room was suddenly a thousand times worse.

Dean found himself looking at the gun, still laying on the counter in front of the shooting range. His jaw clenched as he tried to get rid of the urge to start practicing again. He knew it would only make Cas more nervous and himself angry, and more stressed than already - which he _did not_ need. Instead, he took another couple paces around the room before sitting back on the bench with his angel. _The _angel. _Ex-angel_. Ugh.

He still didn't say anything, however. He ran his hands over his face again and leaned forward on his knees.

"If you wish me to leave, I will understand," said Castiel meekly, feeling crushed by the lack of response. In that moment, he realized just how important Dean's opinion of him was. And he suddenly realized why he didn't like the idea of experiencing human things with anyone else, or why he didn't like Dean experiencing them with anyone but himself. Castiel wanted the hunter for himself, and he wanted to be with_ him_. The thought made him shudder, the sudden weight of it pushing down on his shoulders. Perhaps he should leave the room anyway.

"No, Cas. Don't leave." The strange lilt to Dean's voice made Castiel pause in his thoughts. It settled his stomach slightly. He looked at the hunter, then, a curiosity bubbling and slowly erasing the crushing fear that had taken residence in him. "I'm just…" Dean spoke through his hands, still not moving or even looking towards the ex-angel. "I can't think about this right now. I'm sorry. If I'd known, if I had even thought for a minute that you'd want this, I'd…" he trailed off.

"It's okay, Dean. I understand if you don't want it. I will not speak of it further."

Dean groaned, throwing his head back and flopping back against the back of the bench and turning his head towards Castiel's for the first time since his confession. "That's not what I meant. I just need…" he trailed, his eyes closing in exasperation. He fumbled for the words. "I need time," he said finally.

Then he abruptly stood up, not looking back at his ex-angel, and walked out of the room slowly and quietly.


	5. Part 5

_A/N - Cookies to whoever points out the Star Trek reference._

Chapter Rating: K+

* * *

**5. Oh, it's Just Chuck**

* * *

It was early the next morning when Ethriel was starting to feel… weird.

She'd promised Castiel that she would wait until that evening to return to the bunker, but for some reason she had this sinking sensation that she shouldn't return. That wasn't it, however. She felt as if she shouldn't move. She needed to stay right where she was - in a small motel room in Lebanon, Kansas - and never leave.

It was strange. As if she was extremely exhausted. She'd felt this sensation before, but it was always after a battle, back when she was just an angel. She would need to 'recharge', for lack of a better word. But now, she felt as if she was starting to… fall asleep. And it was terrifying.

Almost as terrifying as telling a Winchester that he was paired to the male-vesseled angel he called his best friend.

Why would an angel need to sleep, much less a cherub? The only cases Ethriel had heard of was when an angel was cut off from Heaven and was losing grace. Surely she had not done something so wrong that she was not only losing her connection to Heaven, but also losing her power? Or was every angel experiencing this? Castiel was already human in his own regard, but that was special circumstances, right?

A crushing fear hung over Ethriel's shoulders then, but she had little time to analyze it, as she came crashing to the ground in sudden unconsciousness.

When she awoke, she found herself… in Heaven. Or at least one of her favorites. It was the personal Heaven of a teenage girl, who had died of cancer. Her name was Molly O'Brien. Her personal Heaven was made up of her childhood home, namely the backyard, and many of her friends from when she was younger. Her parents sat on the porch near the house while she played with two boys in a water gun fight. Ethriel loved this place, as it showed a great source of human happiness and innocence, mixed with the reality that will sooner or later consume them. It was a balance of goodness with wickedness, and Ethriel found it strangely beautiful.

Forgetting for a moment that she shouldn't be here, Ethriel sat on the steps of the porch, next to the parents. She watched Molly and her friends in their play for… she didn't know how long. The day was beautiful and she felt genuinely happy.

It was when she felt another's presence in the slice of Heaven that she remembered where she was and what she should have been doing. Standing up almost automatically, she whipped her head around to see a man standing there. He had a scruffy brown beard and dull blue eyes - and he was looking at her oddly, with an air of calmness that she had never seen before. "Hello?" she asked wearily, not moving.

He smiled, then, stepping closer. A light emanated from him, glowing brilliantly. He seemed at peace - though whether that was a good thing or not, Ethriel wasn't sure. "Hey, Ethriel. It's been a while."

Her brows furrowing and her head tilting to the side, she stepped closer. "I am sorry. Do I know you?"

He chuckled, then, the sound warm and awe-inspiring. "Maybe, I'm not quite sure. My kids seem to have forgotten me lately. Now I don't really blame them, but you know it's kind of sad, really. It's not like it's been a millenia. Oh, wait…"

"Father?"

It was only a word - a simple question. Bit it made his whole face light up like it was the best day of his life. She hardly thought it would be, given who she thought he was in that moment. It was all a bit wobbly in her brain at this point and she was starting to get scared again. "Yeah, it's me, kiddo. I knew you at least would remember me. It's always the little ones who keep looking up to their daddy after he's gone."

She was in awe. "How - I do not understand, I… Why are you here?" She rushed Him, then, a grin sprawled across her face. She didn't want to question it anymore. She just wanted to be with Him.

He wrapped His arms around the cupid, then, nestling into her embrace. Not many of His children were so approachable anymore. Or, rather, they thought _He _wasn't approachable, He was never sure. But He loved it when they were able to just let them be with Him without questioning His agenda. It was almost as if they didn't trust Him anymore, and that hurt. But He'd always loved his little Ethriel. He relished in the embrace for a moment before finally answering her, His grip still tight around her waist. "I've come to answer your questions, sweetie. I've been hearing quite a bit of inner turmoil from you lately. Thought I'd check up on you."

She pulled away, then, her eyes brimming with unshed tears. "I… how? How can you be here? I just… why answer my questions? I know I can hardly be the only one. There are _so many_ angels lost without you. Why me?"

Still grinning, He led her back to the porch and sat down with her. "Because you're special, Ethriel. Haven't you ever wondered why I reimagined you? Because I knew you loved more than any of your siblings. You were meant to be cherubim, sweetie. It's who you are. I was just the idiot that got it wrong." He laughed, stroking her hair softly. "As for why I'm here, for you specifically, is because your job right now is one of the most important jobs I've ever assigned. And I knew you were the only one for it."

She smiled, then, proud to have been chosen. But then a new thought dawned on her. "Wait. So all of these orders I have been going through so quickly, all the craziness inside my head for the past couple years, all of those were new? The whole 'list' idea I came up with is false?"

His smile grew grim, if not guilty. "I'm afraid so, sweetie. I'm sorry I've been kind of pushy lately, but Michael always helped me organize the orders. When he got trapped in the Cage, I didn't really know what to do, honestly. So I just kind of… Well, I went a bit crazy. Sorry about that. I've tried to tone it down recently, haven't you noticed?"

Her eyes wide, she turned to look Him in the eyes and her mouth fell open slightly. "Is that why there has not been any new orders? You were just letting us catch up?"

"Yep. I figured you all were scrambling to get by as it was, and I was a bit busy with the whole being mad at Metatron and such. But I'm over it, as I'm sure the Winchesters will figure it out somehow. They always come through for me. I'm just about ready to promote them to angel status, really." He laughed. "Well, if they want it at least. To be honest… I don't think they will. They kind of think a bit less of you guys. Sorry about that. But, well… you can never be to sure." He grinned, looking upwards and letting out a scoff-like laugh. "Well, at least Dean anyways. I'm not too sure what to think about him. He's… unpredictable, even for me. And that's saying something."

"Wait, so you mean that everything that has happened, that the Winchesters have worked so hard to stop, or make happen or whatever, it was all your plan?" she asked, still in awe.

He looked at her, almost as if He was offended. "Of course. Ethriel, sweetie, nothing happens that isn't my plan."

She nodded. Of course. Why would she think that anything that had happened was against God Himself? It was preposterous.

"I can see that the gears in your brain are still a-working away. You know, if you have any questions, any questions at all, just ask. It _is _why I'm here."

Ethriel was quick to finally let out the question that had been bouncing around for a while. "Why can I think? I mean, I know that angels of course are capable of thought, but it is extremely rare for one to be able to act on that thought, and be able to force himself or herself away from a situation if he or she desires it. The other cupids are always in touch with one another, always in sync. However I seem to be separate from them in many ways. Why is that?"

He seemed to think this one over for a time, before He finally sighed and looked towards the children playing. "Well, there's quite a bit of factor that fit in. One, you were created an angel. Yeah yeah, I know cherubim are angels or whatever, but you know what I mean. So the fact that you were reimagined already sets you different from the others.

"Two, free will was always my plan in the end. After creating humans, I wanted my other creations to be able to also do what they wanted, become more like the humans. Because let's be honest, they're my favorite." She nodded, not taking any offence. It was not in her nature. "Castiel seems to be the only one who has really taken this idea to heart, really, which is kind of sad. I mean Gabriel really tried for a long time, especially after I talked to him about it, but in the end, well… he's still a soldier at heart, and will put his brothers and sisters above all else, even the people and things he cares about most. Which, in all honesty, is not true free will. But bless his heart he tries." A fond smile grew on His face then, a sadness creeping in. "I kind of miss talking with him." He said simply, then. But when He glanced back at Ethriel, His smile grew once again and He continued His train of thought. "But really, the main reason you are able to think the way you do, sweetie, is because I want you to."

Her brow furrowed, then, confused. "Because you want me to?"

"Yep. That, and you'll need it for your job. It's kind of an important one, you know."

That was the second biggest question Ethriel had tumbling around in her mind. "Because all of the orders I have been getting are from you directly, and not from a list of built-up names… Does that mean that Dean Winchester and Castiel are just recently supposed to be together?"

He laughed at that, pure amusement glowing through His features. It was hard not to be profoundly affected by it, and in the end Ethriel stopped fighting it and grinned at Him just as brightly. "Well not exactly," He said after taking a few breaths from the continued laughter. He clutched His sides. "I mean, yeah it's technically new 'cause I just gave it to you, but really, I've been planning it for… well, let's just say it's been a while."

Ethriel was confused again. "How do you mean?"

Finally, He was able to settle down and look at her again, looking sheepish, as if He felt a bit bashful about being so powerful, but Ethriel knew better. He was just a very laid-back being who was humble to the core and, well, a bit shy. That was one of the main reasons that He didn't interact with people regularly, she knew that much. But to be honest, she was sure that He took great pleasure in messing with people. And the Winchesters wonder where Gabriel gets it from.

After a long pause, He sighed and finally calmed down and grew somewhat serious. "I'm sure I mustn't explain again that nothing happens that is not my plan." She shook her head. "Well, think about it, then, sweetie. You go back far enough, you can see everything that led up to those two meeting and becoming who they are today. Sure, Dean's a hunter, but why? Because his mother was killed and his father wanted vengeance. But what about before that? Azazel wanted Sam to become his champion. Before that? Lucifer picked Azazel to become his right hand. And before that? Lucifer fell. And before? I created Lucifer.

"I am God, sweetie. Your Father. Their Father. Nothing happens unless I want it to happen. I created Lucifer, knowing he would never except humans. I created Hell, because I knew it would create chaos. I let Azazel continue with his plans, because I knew it would only spur on the Winchester bloodline. I sent Castiel to save Dean because I knew Castiel was special - because I had created him that way. I created you a soldier first because I knew you would fight with Castiel. I created you to love humans and their love more than all else. I reimagined you just the way you needed to be. I created everything to happen just the way it has happened, because nothing can ever _not_ go according to my plan.

"Everything has happened the way I meant for it, and it will continue to happen like that until the ends of the Earth, the ends of the angels, and the ends of Heaven. It will continue beyond that because I have planned beyond that, and it will keep spiralling further in just the way I created it because that's just how the universe works. Even in the ends of existence, it will go according to my plan, because it _is _my plan."

Ethriel was breathless. She felt as if she couldn't breathe. Her stomach tightened and her head was spinning, and she felt as if she floor was going to give out on her. But she didn't say anything. She simply sat there, next to God, her eyes wide. She was silent.

"So I take it that was the end of your questions? 'Cause…" He looked at the watch on His wrist, a subtle smile tugging at His lips. "I gotta go. And so do you. Farewell, sweetie, my Ethriel." He placed a hand on her shoulder, Ethriel still too stunned to react to much of anything. "I hope to talk to you soon. Or never. We - well, _you_'ll see."

And then she was consumed by unconsciousness once again.


	6. Part 6

Chapter Rating: T (suggestions of suggestions - suggestionception!)

* * *

**6. I Think the New Neighbors are In Love**

* * *

Ethriel awoke confused and angry on the floor of the motel room. She was _certainly _not done with her questions, and who was he to tell her that she had to go somewhere? What did he know? But then the knowledge of what had just transpired flew into her head and knocked her back.

She had just met God.

It was strange to think about. For a moment she thought that maybe she had actually just passed out and dreamt, as she didn't really know what dreaming felt like and had no idea if they were that… real. But then the more she thought about it, the more she realized that it couldn't have been. She felt fine, full of grace and tip top shape. There was nothing that would have made her fall asleep, except for extreme external forces. Like God, for example.

She checked her internal clock to see exactly what time it was, and gawked. It was _six in the afternoon_? So she had been gone in Heaven for about eleven hours… How had time passed so quickly? She checked the clock on the table beside the bed just to be sure, and of course she was right. She hadn't really expected to be proved wrong, it was just surprising. Usually trips to Heaven were the opposite, seeming long while there but really only being a small amount of time on Earth.

Wasting no more time mulling over her racing thoughts, Ethriel spread her wings and flew to the Winchesters' Batcave. After being invited in and introduced to almost everyone, the cupid didn't think it was necessary to get another invitation inside.

Landing in the middle of the war room, Ethriel was surprised to see it completely empty. She could have sworn she felt at least three human souls, with the exception of a very faint, flickering one. She knew either that flickering was a mortally wounded resident, or the faintest grasp of humanity her old friend Castiel seemed to have grabbed.

She made her way down a few halls, blindly following the warmth of the souls. Eventually she found a larger, more open area that looked similar to the library and war rooms, but was more of a small kitchen attached to a large sitting room. She immediately smelled the strong aroma of sealed meat and the sounds of rustling plastic bags. Dinner.

She walked around the room to face the furniture and its occupants. On a recliner sat Kevin, and on the couch was Castiel and who she had assumed to be Sam but had never actually been formally introduced. "Hello," she said weakly, feeling all their gazes turn directly on her.

Sam raised a brow, Kevin smiled, and Castiel gestured toward the unoccupied chair on the other side of the couch. "Hello Ethriel. I was beginning to believe you wouldn't return," said Castiel, his normally dark and rough voice a tad bit lighter with what Ethriel assumed was contentedness.

She smiled politely and sat on the offered chair almost awkwardly. She was not good at being the center of attention. "I was… held up." She was never good at lying, but she wasn't sure if she should tell Castiel about her encounter, let alone everyone in the room.

"By what?" asked Kevin innocently, his curiosity piqued.

Ethriel sighed. Like I said, she wasn't going to lie and to be frank she wasn't in the mood to keep secrets either. "God," she said simply, her eyes weary.

"What about Him?" said Dean Winchester as he came strutting in with a large bag of Doritos and a burger. When his gaze fell onto Ethriel, he shrunk almost imperceptibly. But Ethriel noticed it. He kept walking, sitting down awkwardly next to Castiel on the couch. The cupid had to fight not to smile at the fact that the spot looked absolutely reserved for him only.

But Castiel didn't seem to even notice that Dean had sat next to him, as his eyes were wide and he was staring at Ethriel in shock. Of course she knew he would react like this. The others seemed floored, but no where near the kind of dull ache that she saw in her friend's eyes. "I don't understand. He talked to you? What did He say? Is He returning?"

Ethriel smiled grimly, shaking her head. "He appeared to be and told me to ask any questions I wanted. I only got in a few before he left." She saw that Castiel was about to start asking questions again, so she thought she'd save him some trouble. "He brought me to Heaven, Castiel. He told me about His thoughts on the current situation, why I am like I am, and what exactly had been going on in relation to my orders."

Castiel nodded, looking less intense than a moment before. But he was still extremely curious, Ethriel could see that much easily. "So? What exactly did He say? Anything specific?"

Ethriel thought. "Well, He told me that my theory about the built-up list in my head was wrong. He said that the names were actually just being given by Him, but lately much slower. He said He was letting us… catch up. Or at least giving us a small break. So… your match is actually only a couple days old," she said softly, gesturing between Castiel and Dean. Dean blinked slowly, but didn't say anything as he angrily tore into his burger.

Castiel didn't look at Dean, and didn't look remotely interested to know his reaction to this news. In all fairness, Castiel himself looked a little weary, but he took a moment to blink and swallow nervously. He looked away for a moment before turning back to Ethriel. "So you're actually caught up on your orders, and this is the most recent?" Ethriel nodded. "Alright. Anything else?"

"He lectured for a very long time about how everything that has happened and that is happening is simply His plan, and that that was the reason He never interfered." That got both the Winchesters' heads to shoot up and look at her. She gave a small smile their way. "Yes, He said even the battle between Michael and Lucifer was planned to be a failure. He was very pointed about getting the fact across that _nothing _happened without His say so."When she looked back to Castiel, all he was doing was nodding as if it was the simplest thing in the world to understand and he looked angry that he hadn't thought of it that way before.

"He also spoke quite fondly of you, Castiel," she said softly.

Castiel's head shot up quickly at that, his eyes boring into hers. "He spoke of... of me?" the ex-angel almost squeaked.

She smiled. "Indeed. He said that it was originally His plan to shape all of His angels into more human-like forms, but the only angel that ever seemed to listen to Him was you." She paused. "He also spoke quite kindly of Gabriel, but admitted that the archangel was not as special to Him as you were." She paused again, swallowing almost audibly with nerves. "He spoke of how important my job was here. This job." She gestured in the general direction of Dean and Castiel.

The others, who were surprisingly quiet during the whole conversation, started giggling softly. Ethriel had no idea why the prospect of their two friends getting together was so hilarious, and she decided to be frank and ask them.

"Why do you two find the prospect of your two closest friends being bonded in the most intimate of ways, both emotionally and physically, so absolutely hilarious? Surely this is not just a game for you all. I cannot imagine the kinds of things you humans think about during times like these, and I honestly don't want to. However I am shocked that you two would even think such things about who you consider family. It is positively disgusting, and I see no immediate reason not to scrub the thoughts away from your mind this instant," she chided like a scolding mother, her grin widening at the disgusted faces growing on Kevin and Sam. Dean got up with a clearing of his throat and walked out, his face bright red.

Castiel stood up then, his face a mixture of hers and Dean's, and dragged her by her arm into the next room. "That was amusing, but unnecessary."

"Hmm, I do not think so. I found it quite… relieving. They have not taken anything seriously since I arrived." She smiled then, beaming brightly at her old friend.

The ex-angel opened his mouth to start and say something, but Dean walked up to them, having recovered some, and stopped the sentence before it started. "Hey Cas, you mind telling your girlfriend to stop embarrassing me in front of my little brother? That would be great, _thanks_," he said harshly, his stern gaze drifting slowly from Castiel to Ethriel.

"She is not my girlfriend," was the immediate response.

Dean sighed. "Whatever. Just… can you not?" The question was directed at Ethriel.

She nodded. "I apologize. Embarrassing _you _was not the intent."

The older Winchester's eyebrow twitched at that, and his anger softened. "You know I'm not sure if I like you yet, but you're kind of growing on me, E." He smirked.

"E?"

"It's a shortened version of your name," Castiel cleared up quickly. "Dean has a tendency to make things simpler."

"I see."

There was a bit of an awkward silence as the three of them stood around, staring at one another as time ticked by. Ethriel debated bringing up the topic of her staying in the Batcave because she didn't want to start another fight between Dean and Castiel - or worse: Dean and herself. However, she didn't have to wait in the awkward silence for long before Castiel brought it up himself.

"What do you mean, 'stay here'?! I'm sure she's got a place of her own, and we don't exactly need her to stick around if my answer is _no_." Dean grunted the last bit, not meeting anyone's eyes as he crossed his arms over his chest.

And there it was again, that topic that no one wanted to talk about but needed to or else they'd get nowhere. Ethriel decided this was a perfect time to finally use that elephant metaphor she had heard so many times.

"Dean." It was Castiel, his hand gently laying on Dean's shoulder now. "I understand if you don't want this, I've told you this. But you said you needed time, and that was not a _no_. I'm confused."

The hunter sighed, shaking Castiel's head off, though gently. "What I meant was that I needed time to figure out… what I thought about this. What I was going to say or do. And I still need it."

Castiel nodded. "And that is what Ethriel is offering. Allow her to stay here in the bunker, so that she will be able to get to know you better, and vise versa. I'm sure that you wouldn't mind, and she's more than happy to try and get to know you, right Ethriel?" The cupid nodded excitedly, her eyes wide in hope. "Please."

He closed his eyes. "Alright. But only of she promises to not get all mushy-gushy on us all the time. I need my space." He paused. " 'Specially now."

The angel nodded profusely, and Dean agreed to let her stay. Afterwards, Castiel showed Ethriel to her room and told her that she could do whatever she wanted to do with it and told her where all the important places were.

She was going to like it here.


End file.
